City seeks share of Clark fines

Buchanan wants to invest funds in McCoy Creek and other projects.

Buchanan wants to invest funds in McCoy Creek and other projects.

December 16, 2005|STAN MADDUX Tribune Correspondent

BUCHANAN -- The city of Buchanan is making an appeal to the state for the $540,000 in recent fines leveled against the former owners of Clark Equipment. The Buchanan City Commissioners this week unanimously approved a request by City Manager Margaret "Meg'' Mullendore to submit a request in writing for the funds to the state Attorney General's Office. The fine was leveled against Ingersoll-Rand, the current owners of the former Clark Equipment, in connection with contamination left behind when the company left Buchanan over 20 years ago. Some of the former Clark Equipment locations are undergoing a cleanup by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. As it presently stands, Mullendore said it's her understanding $450,000 of the penalty will help the state recover its cost of the ongoing environmental remediation at the former Clark property. The dollars could also be dispersed throughout Michigan for similar projects, she said. "The damage is here and the money should be spent here or at least a good portion of it,'' said Buchanan Mayor Earl "Joe'' Scanlon. If the funds were directed locally, Mullendore said, among the possible uses is to complete the remediation at the former Clark property or to help further projects involving the enhancement of McCoy Creek and the bicycle/walking path still that runs partially along the creek. Mullendore said the creek and trail projects both fall under the state's "Cool Cities'' initiative, making the dollars a natural for local use. Scanlon said much the bicycle/walking trail runs along the contaminated former Clark property beside the creek. "It's a great way to spend those monies to better that area,'' said Scanlon. At one point, Clark had a work force of about 5,000 in Buchanan. According to city officials, the company's departure devastated the city financially and left in its wake numerous empty buildings and environmentally tainted areas such as McCoy Creek.